ABSTRACT
Respiratory rate, the number of breathing cycles per minute, is the usual respiratory observation. Normal respiration rates vary in childhood according to age. Drugs active on the respiratory system include: bronchodilators, antimuscarinic, mast cell stabilisers, corticosteroids, and leukotriene receptor antagonists. The control of respiration is dependent on the respiratory centre, a collection of several neuronal groups shared between the medulla and the pons, both parts of the brainstem. To ensure the best possible outcome from any resuscitation attempt, a systematic approach that sets out the priorities of management has been established: the ABCDE assessment. The ABCDE refers to airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure and examination. The ABCDE system goes beyond resuscitation, and becomes a basis upon which a diagnosis can be determined and urgent care can be administered. Establishing if the patient is conscious is an important first step.
